Gas supply manifold assembly for gas ranges



Oct. 5, 1948. a. F. WHITEHEAD GAS SUPPLY MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY FOR GASRANGES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1942 m v S an a. 3 a 1 I w w mGm. QM .8 u I I l II u IKM I l i In RN I M w N l Q Q RQ a a i kw N 4:uhM \& \Nm N Q m I. 0 m I 1 O .n w 3 NM an *m MN i an. 2. 3w 7 EN u w mb n I, 0 Q a a .t v on NM Q a Q on i Q 3 mm I mm on G R I? Oct. 5, 1948.a. F. WHITEHEAD 2,450,744

GAS SUPlfLY IANIFQLD ASSEMBLY FOR GAS RANGE:

Z Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10, 1942 57 J -60 1 O O Fry's 59 PatentedOct. 5, 1948 GAS SUPPLY MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY FOR GAS RANGES Grover F.Whitehead, Rockford, Ill., assignmto Geo. D. Roper Corporation,Rockford, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 10, 1942,Serial No. 446,488

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved gas supply manifoldassembly for gas ranges.

Heretofore, before the shortage of aluminum and brass, it was thepractice to provide separate and independent cast iron manifolds in theright and left halves of the burner box compartment and to interconnectthese manifolds by a piece of flexible aluminum tubing. and it has alsobeen the practice in many instances to mount the oven heat regulatorseparate from the two manifolds and to connect it with one of themanifolds by another piece of flexible aluminum tubing. The main reasonfor having the manifolds separate but flexibly connected in the mannerstated was to permit individual adjustment thereof in centering andlining up the burners attached thereto with respect to the cooking top.These aluminum tubing connections each required brass fittings at bothends. The inability to obtain aluminum tubing and brass fittings atfirst prompted the substitution of steel tubing and fittings but that isnot a satisfactory substitute for several reasons which it is notnecessary to outline in detail. It is therefore the principal object ofmy invention to provide a reorganized manifold assembly in which thenecessity for any flexible tubing connections is eliminated and theconstruction is otherwise greatly simplified and reduced in cost. whileobtaining the desired adjustability and better performance by reason ofthe reduction in the number of joints to be made gas-tight.

A salient feature of the manifold assembly of my invention lies in theprovision of right and left hand cast iron manifolds for mounting in thefront portion of the burner box compartment constructed forinterconnection at adjoining ends with a universally adjustable ball andsocket joint, so that the manifolds are free to assume differentpositions with respect to one another in the assembling of a range andthe ball and socket Joint can be tightened as a final operation, themanifolds being thereby interconnected without the need for any flexibletubing therebetween and there being only a single joint to makegas-tight as compared with two joints in the old construction. Theuniversal adjustability of the joint permits up and down as well asfront and rear adjustment of the manifolds as required in the truing-upof the burners without complicating in any way the matter of effectivelysealing the joint.

Another important object of the invention consists in the mounting ofthe oven heat regulator body directly on one end of one of the twomanifolds at the ball and socket joint in gas-tight rela- 2 tion to saidmanifold, so that gas is delivered from the manifold to the regulatorwithout any need for an intermediate length of tubing and there is onlya single joint to make gas-tight as compared with two in the oldconstruction.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a view partly in plan elevation and partly in horizontalsection through the burner box compartment of a gas range equipped witha gas supply manifold assembly made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional detail through the call and socketjoint on a larger scale, taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the joint on the line H of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 3 with the oven heat regulator removed.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding partsthroughout the views.

Referring first mainly to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 6designates the cooking top frame of the range in which are supported twocooking top panels I. one for each half of the cooking top. These panelsI have openings In therein in register with the burners 8 in the usualway. At 9 is indicated a foldable lift cover adapted to be placed overthe cooking top when the burners 8 are not in use. box compartment underthe cooking top, H the bottom thereof, and i2 the front closure panel.Gas is supplied to all of the burners 8 through a supply pipe l3connected by an elbow it and pipe IS with a cast manifold pipe it. Thereis a duplicate cast manifold pipe Ilia in the other half of the burnerbox compartment Ii similarly situated with respect to the two burners inthat half, and each of these pipes has a combination lighter and burnersupport spider I! mounted thereon for supporting the burners on the pipein addition to lighting the burners from the central pilot light housingI! forming a part of the spider. The housing Iii, as disclosed in Hobsonpatent 2,189,796, has the pilot burner i9 therein continuously suppliedwith gas from the pipe It, or i621, and the pilot flame may be regulatedby adjustment of the metering valve 20..

The arms 2| radiating from the housing it are tubular. as also disclosedin said patent, and serve not only to support the burners on the outerends thereof but also to conduct gas from the burners to the housing I!for ignition so III is the burner that the burners can be lighted byflashback. The spiders l! in the present construction are bothtwo-legged for the cooperation of each with two burners in a rangehaving a total of four cooking top burners, but it will be understoodthat four-legged spiders are also used, as disclosed in the Hobsonpatent, for the support and lighting of four burners on each spider sothat a range can be provided having a total of eight cooking topburners. The pipes l6 and lid are attached, as indicated at 22, to themiddle portions of the cast iron manifolds 23 and 24 in the frontportion of the burner box compartment for supplying gas to saidmanifolds. These manifolds are fitted with cocks 23 arranged todischarge into the mixers 26 of the cooking top burners, the cooks beingcontrolled by knobs 21 on the outer ends of the stems of said cockswhich project through holes in the front panel l2. Now, as statedbefore, it was heretofore the practice to have the manifolds 23 and 24mounted independently but to have the pipes I8 and IM interconnected bya piece of flexible aluminum tubing, so that both sets of cooking topburners were supplied with gas from the same single source I3. Thetubing connection was made between the cross-head portions 23 on theinner ends of the pipes i3 and Na. A plug 29 is shown closing the openside of the head 23 on the pipe lBa where the intermediate tube washeretofore connected. The cross-head 28 on the pipe I3 is closed, asindicated at 33, on. the side toward the pipe 130., whereas itheretofore had a threaded opening for connection with the intermediatetube. The pipe Ilia. likewise has its cross-head 28 closed on the rightside, so that the pipes l3 and lid are interchangeable.

According to the present invention, the manifolds 23 and 24 have theiradjoining ends 3| and 32 in overlapping relation, the end 3! beingformed with a ball head portion 33 and the end 32 being formed with acomplementary socket portion 34 to receive the head, with a gasket ring35 interposed therebetween, to form a universally adjustable ball andsocket joint through which gas is delivered from the manifold 23 to themanifold 24 through the registering openings 36 and 31 in the ball andsocket portions. Lugs 38 project from diametrically opposite sides ofthe end portion 3| and are slotted, as indicated at 39, to receive bolts40 entered freely through holes II in lugs 42 that project fromdiametrically opposite sides of the end portion 32 to permit theclamping of the end portions 3| and 32 tightly in adjusted relation withthe gasket 35 compressed therebetween to form a gas-tight joint. Nuts 33threaded on the ends of the bolts 40 are held against turning byengagement in grooves 44 provided therefor in the bottom of the lugs 33,thereby greatly simplifying assembling and adjustment. The presentconstruction, it should be clear, eliminates the intermediate tubingwith a substantial saving in cost, and is of advantage furthermore fromthe standpoint that there is only a single joint to be made gas-tight ascompared with two in the old construction. Furthermore, due to the factthat the joint 33-34 is a universally adjustable ball and socket joint,the manifolds 23 and 2! can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly at thejoint and also forwardly and rearwardly as required in the centering andtruing-up of the burners 3 with respect to their openings la in thecooking top panels I. The bolts 40 are purposely left loose enoughduring the assembling of the bu ners so that the manifolds can be joggedin one direction or the other to adjust the burners to the properpositions, after which the tightening of the bolts 40 will maintain theadjusted relationship. The end portion 3! of the manifold 23 is shown assupported with its flat bottom surface 45 resting directly on the bottomH of the burner box, a screw 46 being entered through an opening 43 inthe lug 41 to fasten the end portion 3| in place. However. a shim orshims may be provided between the bottom H and the end portion 3i ifhigher elevation of the manifold is necessary, and, of course, theopening 43 in the lug 41 is provided large enough to accommodate theusual amount of lateral adjustment of the manifold. Each of themanifolds has its end remote from the screw 48 supported on a singlebolt 43a entered freely horizontally through an opening providedtherefor in the manifold, so that any up and down or fore and aftadjustment of the overlapped inner ends of the manifolds to the extenttherein contemplated is permitted by the pivotal mounting of theseremote end of the manifolds. A lug 43 provided on the cross-head portion28 of each of the pipes l3 and I30 has a stand screw 50 extendingupwardly therethrough from a bracket 3| on the bottom ll of the burnerbox compartment, and an up and down adjustment of the burners can bemade by suitable adjustment of the nuts 52 and 53 on the screws 53.

At 54 is indicated an oven heat regulator having a gas delivery pipe 55extending therefrom for communication with the mixer of the oven burner(not shown). Where a single oven heat regulator is provided, it ispreferred to have it disposed at the middle of the burner boxcompartment with its control knob 53 projecting from the middle of thefront panel. Heretofore, however, that location of the regulatornecessitated the provision of a separate piece of flexible aluminumtubing to connect the regulator with one of the pipes I 6 or I3a. Inaccordance with my invention, I provide an opening 51 in the top of theend portion 32 of the manifold 24 and provide a flat pad portion 33 ontop of said end portion to permit mounting of the body of the regulator54 directly on the end portion 32 for direct communication with themanifold 24 through the opening 51, bolts 53 being threaded into holes60 in the end portion 32 to clamp the regulator in place and compress agasket 6| between the body of the regulator and the pad portion 53 tomake a gas-tight joint. In that way it is apparent that I have providedfor the support of the regulator in the desirable mid-position with asaving in cost by reason of the elimination of the tubing, and have atthe same time provided a better construction from the standpoint thatthere is only a single joint to be made gas-tight as compared with twojoints in the old construction.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding ofthe objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims havebeen drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. A gas stove comprising in combination with a cooking top and burnerstherefor having mixing tubes, two T-shaped manifolds for supplying gasto said burners suitably supported under the cooking top in asubstantially horizontal plane. the cross-portions of the-T's beingdisposed in longitudinal alignment and with their end por- $10 .15 overpp g and adjustably connected for assavu free passage of gas from onemanifold to the other, gas discharge cocks on said cross-portionsdetachably connected with the mixing tubes of said cooking top burners,and a combination lighter and burner support of spider form and having acentral body portion mounted by said central body portion on the legportion of each of said manifolds, each including a pilot burner in thecentral body portion supplied with gas from the associated leg portion,each lighter and burner support having arms extending from the centralbody portion serving to support the bumers associated therewith at apredetermined elevation with reference to the cooking top.

2. A gas stove structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein thecross-portion of each of the T's has the end remote from the overlappedends pivotally supported at a predetermined elevation with reference tothe cooking top, whereby the adjustably connected overlapped ends arevertically adjustable for vertical adjustment of the burners withrespect to the cooking top.

3. A gas stove structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein thecross-portion of each of the Ts has the end remote from the overlappedends pivotally supported at a predetermined elevation with reference tothe cooking top, whereby the adjustably connected overlapped ends arevertically adjustable for vertical adjustment of the burners withrespect to the cooking top, the structure including means for adjustablysupporting the leg portions of the T's for vertical adjustment thereofindependently of the manifold so as to adjust the burners verticallywith reference to the cooking top.

4. A gas stove structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the overlappedends of the cross-portions of the Ts are universally pivotallyadjustably connected and their ends remote from said connection areloosely pivotally supported at a predetermined elevation with referenceto the cooking top, whereby said overlapped ends are vertically andlaterally adjustable as a unit for vertical and lateral adjustmentpf theburners with respect to the cooking top.

5. A'gas stove structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the overlappedends of the cross-portions of the T's are universally pivotallyadjustably connected and their ends remote from said connection areloosely pivotally supported at a predetermined elevation with referenceto the cooking top, whereby said overlapped ends are vertically andlaterally adjustable as a unit for vertical and lateral adjustment ofthe burners with respect to the cooking top, the structure includingmeans for adjustably supporting the leg portions of the T's for verticaladjustment thereof independently of the manifolds so as to adjust theburners vertically with reference to the cooking top.

6. A gas stove comprising in combination with a cooking top and burnerstherefor having mixing tubes, 9, T-shaped manifold structure forsupplying gas to said burners suitably supported under the cooking topin a substantially horizontal plane, a gas supply pipe connected withsaid manifold for supplying gas thereto, gas discharge cocks on thecross-portion of the T detachably connected with the mixing tubes ofsaid cooking top burners, and a combination lighter and burner supportof spider form having a central body portion and being mounted by saidcentral body portion on the leg portion of said manifold and including apilot burner in the central body portion supplied with gas from the legportion, said lighter and burner support having arms extending from thecentral body portion serving to support the burners at a predeterminedelevation with reference to the cooking top.

7. A gas stove structure as set forth in claim 6, including means foradjustably supporting the leg portion of the T for vertical adjustmentthereof independently of the manifold so as to adjust the burnersvertically with reference to the cooking top. 4

8. A gas stove comprising in combination with a cooking top and burnerstherefor having mixing tubes. two elongated manifolds for supplying gasto said burners disposed substantially horizontally in longitudinalalignment under the cooking top, with their end portions overlapping andadjustably connected for free passage of gas from one manifold to theother, a gas supply pipe connected with one of said manifolds forsupplying gas to the two manifolds, gas discharge cocks on saidmanifolds detachably connected with the mixing tubes of said cooking topburners for support and adjustment thereof with the manifolds relativeto the cooking top, and supplementary means adjustable verticallyindependently of the manifolds for supporting said burners at apredetermined elevation with reference to the cooking top, each of themanifolds having the end remote from the overlapped ends pivotallysupported at a predetermined elevation with reference to the cookingtop, whereby the adjustably connected overlapped ends are verticallyadjustable for vertical adjustment of the burners with respect to thecooking top.

9. A gas stove comprising in combination with a cooking top and burnerstherefor having mixing tubes, two elongated manifolds for supplying gasto said burners disposed substantially horizontally in longitudinalalignment under the cooking top, with their end portions overlapping andadjustably connected for free passage of gas from one manifold to theother, a gas supply pipe connected with one of said manifolds forsupplying gas to the two manifolds, gas discharge cocks on saidmanifolds detachably connected with the mixing tubes of said cooking topburners for support and adjustment thereof with the manifolds relativeto the cooking top, and supplementary means adjustable verticallyindependently of the manifolds for supporting said burners at apredetermined elevation with reference to the cooking top, theoverlapped ends of the manifolds being universally pivotally adjustablyconnected and their ends remote from said connection being looselypivotally supported at a predetermined elevation with respect to thecooking top, whereby said overlapped ends are vertically and laterallyadjustable as a unit for vertical and lateral adjustment of the burnerswith respect to the cooking top.

10. A gas range comprising in combination with a cooking top and burnerstherefor having mixing tubes, two elongated manifolds for supplying gasto said burners having end portions overlapping and adjustably connectedone to the other and provided at said connection for free passage of gasfrom one manifold to the other, means for supplying gas to one of saidmanifolds whereby to supply gas to both manifolds, and means detachablyconnected with the mixing tubes for discharging gas from said manifoldsto the several burners, a gasket ring interposed between the overlappingend portions, and means for adjustably securing the overlapping andportions together compressing the gasket between said overlapping endportions for a gas-tight Joint. one of said overlapping end portionshaving another gas passage provided therein for discharge of gas fromthe manifold, said range including an oven heat regulator detachablymounted on said overlapping end portion in direct communication withsaid passage.

11. A gas supply manifold assembly for the cooking top portion of a gasrange, comprising two elongated manifolds having means thereon forsupplying gas to cooking top burners, said manifolds being disposed withtheir end portions overlapp ng and adjustably connected one to the otherand provided at said connection for free passage of gas from onemanifold to the other. a gas supply pipe connected with one of saidmanifolds for supplying gas to the two manifolds, means on the free endsof the manifolds for detachabiy securing and supporting the same in thecooking top portion of a gas range, and means on the underlying end ofone of said manifolds adiacent the point of connection with the othermanifold for supporting the connected ends of said manifolds in thecooking top portion of said range, the over-lying end of the last GROVERF. WHITE'HEAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,077,890 Methudy Apr. 20, 19372,141,742 Ehret Dec. 27, 1938 2,189,796 Hobson Feb. 13, 1940 2,304,140Bergholm Dec. 8, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,665 GreatBritain July 10, 1898 24,307 Great Britain Dec. 14, 1894

